Mold filling and packing machine.



A. BOGDA'NFFY & E. ALBERH.

MOLD FILLING AND PACKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION ILED MAR-12.1914` RENEWED ANI-7.1917- Patelltd NOV.7 6, 1917.

4 sHEETs-snzsr 1 EQ/I.

A. BOGDNFFY E. ALBERTI.

MOLD FILLING AND PACKING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 12. 1914v RENEWED APR. 7. 1911.

1 ,245,429. Pnd Nov. 6, 1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

TEZ. ,I 22

Patented Nov. 6, 1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3- A. BOGDA'NFFY a; E. ALBERTL MOLD FILLING AND PACKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR-12. I9I4- RENEWED APR. 7. I9I7. 1,245,429.

Patented Nov. 6, .1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

ATTOR E UNITED sTAtrEs PATENT OFFICE.

ALEXANDEB, BoGDANrrY am) mimo ALBERTI, or NEW Yonx, N. Y'., AssIeNons 'ro INTERNATIONAL CORK COMPANY, OF BROOKLYN, 'NEW YORK, A CORPORATION 01' NEW YORK.

MOLD FILLINGAND PACKING MACHINE.

Speeification of Letters Patent. Patented Nov, 6, 1917 Application flled arch 12, 1914, Serial No. 824,174. Benewed April 7, 1817. Serial No. 160,545.

of New York, in the county of Kings and,

I State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mold Filling and Packing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to improveinents in machines for filling and packing molds with granular substances, more particularly with treated granulated eork or composition cork.

In manufacturing stoppers or sealing disks of the artificial cork type for use in connection with bottle or other closures, it has been the tendency lately to form composition cork rods, which are then cut into stoppers or thin disks. As a mold a cylinder or tube of considerable length is used, said mold being filled with the granulated treated cork, which is properly packed in the mold and, while in the mold, treated to form a solid rod. The rod so prepared is then removed from the mold and cut up into pieces of any desired length, dependent upon the use to which said cut pieces are to be put.

One of the objects of the present invention is to produce a mold filling and packing maehine for the purpose specified, which is simple and eflicient in operation, and whereby rods are produced which are substantially even and uniform throughout the lengths thereof.

Another object of the invention is to prodiice a feeding mechanism which will insure a positive and uniform feed to the mold, and which automatically stops the feeding as soon as the mold is completely filled.

With these and other objects in view, which will more fully appear as the nature of the invention is better' understood, the same consists in the combination, arrangement and construction of parts hereinafter fully described, pointed out in the appended claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it being understood that many changes may be made in 'the size and proportion of the several parts and details of construction withinthe scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the 'advantages of the invention.

One of the many possible embodiments of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, imwliich i Fignre' 1 is a front elevation of a' machine constructed in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof; Fig. 3 is a rear elevation. of the same; Fig. 4 is a plan view of the feeding mechanism; Fig. 5 is a Vertical section taken through the said feeding mechanism; Fig. 0 is a side elevation of a detail of a portion of the means actuating the feeding mechanism; Fig. 7 is a plan view of the device shown in Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is a front elcvation of a detail of the .device shown in 1*`ig. 4; Fig. 9 is a section partly in elevation, taken through a detail i of the means for controlling the motion of the mold support of the machine; Fig. 10 is a front o levation of the cross head of the packing or tamping plunger; Fig. 11 is a plan view of the device shown in Fig. 10; and Fig. 12 is a front elevation of a mold used in connection with the improved machine.

In the drawings, the numeral 20 indicates the frame of the machine. 'This frame, preferably metallie, is placed in an upright .position upon and attached to the floor in any suitable manner. In theupper portion of the frame is journaledv a horizontally arranged shaft 21, that is driven by apulley 22, and carries fixedly attached thereto a disk 23, which is provided With a wris't-pin 24, to which is attached in the usual manner one end of a pitman 25, the other end of the latter being pivoted at 26 to a cross head 27. The cross head is provided with three Vertical bores 28, 29 and 30, which are slidably engaged by vertically disposed stationary guide rods 31, 32 and 33, respectively. To the cross head is attached a packing` or tamping plunger 34, that extends into a vertical tubular guide 35, the 'latter being carried by a mold support 36.

The mold support comprisesv a, preferably, I-shaped frame 37, the horizontal head and foot portions 38 of which slidably engage the guide rods 32 and 33. VFor this purpose the horizontal portions 38 of the support are provided with apertures which engage. with the said guides. To the support is fastened one end of a rope 39, which passes over sheaves 40, to its other end being secured a balance-weight 41. Into the Vertical portion of the support is cut a ratchet rack 42, with which coperates a. pawl 43, that is pivoted at 44 to a bar 45, the latter being attached to the frame of the machine in parallel relation to the guide. spring 46 keeps the pawl continuously m engagement with the ratchet rack. The tecth of the ratchet are formed in such a manner that when the pawl 43 meshcs With the same, the said support is permitted to move downward, but not upward. VVhen the pawl is disengaged from the ratchet, the balance-weight 41 raises the mold support and the parts connected therewith. In the head and foot of the mold support are formed in alinement with the tubular guide 35 conical reeesses 47, into which are adapted to be inserted the eonical heads 48 of a tubular mold 49. The lower end of the mold is, before insertion, closed' by a cover, its upper end being left open to receive the granular material with which it is to be filled and packed. To facilitate the insertion of the mold into the support, the foot portion of the latter is recessed at 50. In inserting the mold, first its upper end is seated in the recess 47 in the head of the support, its lower end being brought through the recess 50 into the recess 47 in the foot of the mold support, a cotter pin or similar device 51' being then applied to the foot of the support to keep the mold in position upon the support.

The feeding mechanism of the machine comprises a hopper or funnel 52, that is held upon the head of the mold support and communicates with the tubular guide 35, the communication between the said two elements being controlled by a valve 53. This valve comprises a stem 54, that is rotatably mounted in the head of the mold support and carries within the hopper a plurality of vertically disposed wings 55, which cause, whenever the stem 54 is given a partial turn, the material located between two adjacent wings to pass into the guide 35 and thus into the mold 49. The head of the mold support is provided with a sidewardly extending arm 56, that engages slidably a vertically disposed rocking shaft 57, which is journaled in bearings 58, carried by' the frame 20. In this rocking shaft is formed a longitudinal groove 59, in which is seated the nose 60 of a looking dog 61, that is pivoted at 62'to a lever 63, the latter embracing the arm 56 of the mold support. The dog is provided with a ridge 64, that coperates with a spring pressed pin in a manner that when the said pin is on the outer face of the ridge (Fig. 8), the nose 60 is kept within the groove 59 in the rocking shaft 57. When, however, the outer end of the dog 61 is forced downward, the pin 65 rides over the ridge 64 and engages the oppositely in-- clined face thercof, thereby holding the dog 61 disengaged from the groove 59 andthus the lever 63 disconnected from the rocking shaft. The lever 63 is connected by a link 66 with a lever 67, the latter beingoscillatably mounted upon the stem 54 of the valve 53. To the stem 54 is rigidly attached a ratchet wheel 68, in engagement with a spring pressed pawl 69, that is mounted upon a pin 70, which is carried by the link 66. When the lever 63 is operatively connected with the rocking shaft 57 and the latter is given a partial turn in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings, the pawl 69 in coperation with the ratchet wheel 68 will cause the valve 53 in the hopper to turn a corresponding distance in the same direction, thereby feeding the granular material that is held between the two adjacent wings, which are in the positions indicated in Fig. 4 of the drawings by the numerals I and II, into the mold. When the rocking shaft moves in the other direction, the valve remains stationary, the pawl 69 being returned to its normal operative position. The roeking shaft is actuated by the cross head 27 in the following manner: Upon one of the sides of the. frame is shiftably arranged a vertically disposed bar 71, the upper end of which moves in a guide 72, and is provided with an outwardly extending lug 73, which is located in the path of the cross head. The lower end of said bar is pivoted at 74 to a lever 79, that is keyed to a spindle 80, the latterbeing oscillatably journaled in bearings 81 upon the main frame of the machine. This spindle is connected by a plurality of links and levers 82 with the rocking' shaft 57 in a manner that whenever the cross head 27 engages the lug 73 of the bar 71 and causes the same to move upward, the rocking shaft 57 is given a partial turn in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings. As soon as the cross head 27 is disengaged from the lug 73, a spring 83 returns the links and levers 82, and thereby the bar 71, to their normal positions.

The operation of this device is as follows: An empty mold is placed upon the support 36, the material to be fed thereinto being poured into the hopper 52. This is done while the support 36 is in its lowermost position (Fig. 1). In this position the nose 60 of the dog 61 has been disengaged by a stop (not shown in the drawings) from the groove 59 in the rocking shaft, the pin 65, above described, holding the said catch in such position. The shaft 21 rotates continuously and thereby reciprocates the plunger 34, the cross head actuating the bar 71. It is to be noted that as long as the dog 61 is disengaged from the rocking shaft 57, no feeding will take place to the mold notwithstanding the fact that the rocking shaft 57 oscillates continuously. To start the filling and packing, the pawl 43 is disengaged from the ratchet rack whereby the balanceweight lifts the support 36 and the parts carried thereby until the head of the mold support abuts against a stop S-.t upon the bar 45. In this position of the mold support, the free end of the packing or tamping plunger, when in its lowermost position, is disposed a little distance above the lower end of the mold. The outer end of the dog (31 is then lifted manually, whereby its nose 60 is seated in the groove 59 in the rocking shaft 57, with the result that a measured quantity of granulated inaterial is fed into the 'mold as soon as, upon its next upward stroke, the cross head actuates the bar 71. Upon its downward stroke, the plunger paeks the material into the mold, causing the support and the parts carried thereby to descend a distance that depends upon the quantity of the material packed into the 1nold.- The pawl 43, in coperation with the ratehet rack 42, holds the mold support in this position against the balance-weight while the plunger is being lifted and again lowered. As the plunger ascends again, the same quantity of material is fed into the tube on top of the already packed material and the operation now'described is then repeated. These Operations are repeated until the mold is lowered into the position shown in. Fig. 1 of the drawings, by which time the same will be full of packed cork. lVhen themold support reaches its lowermost position, the dog 61 is disengaged from the rocking shaft 57, thereby automatically stopping the feeding of material into the mold. The filled and packed mold is then removed from the support, closed by a cover, and is thus ready for further treatment.

It is to be'observed that instead of the balance-weight, a spring or Springs may be used just as well, and that the density of .the packed material may be diminished or increased by using different weights or .varying the tension of the spring or Springs.

Inasmuch as measured quantities of ma.- terial are fed into the tube at a time and each charge is packed or compressed indi- Yidually, the rods obtained will be even and uniform throughout the lengths thereof.

It is to be observed that, while herein the machine has been described as containing a single mold and a single plunger, the mold support may be constructed so as to carry any suitable number of molds, in which case obviously the cross head must be provided with a corresponding number of packing plungers. Otherwise theconstruction and operation of the machine would not differ from the one herein described.

VVhat we claim is:

1. In a machine for filling a mold with granul-ated material, thel combination with a frame, of a mold support shiftably arranged thereon, a mold rigidly attached to said support, a balancing' mechanism associated with said support, coaeting means upon said mold support and said frame for holding said support and mold in position against the upward action of said balancing mechanism, a plunger, and means for reciprocating said plunger, whereby said support is gradually lowered by the intermediary of the material filled and packed into the mold thereof, said balancing mechanism predetermining the density of the packed material in the mold.

2. In a machine for filling a mold with granulated material, the combination with a frame, of a mold support shiftably arranged thereon, a mold rigidly attached to said support, a balancing mechanism associated with said support, coacting means upon said mold support and said frame for holding said support and mold in position against the upward action of said balancing mechanism, a plunger, means for reciprocating said plunger, Whereby said support is gradually4 lowered by the intermediary of the material filled and packed into the mold thereof, said balancing mechanism predetermining the density of the packed mai terial in the mold, feeding means associated With said support, and means actuated by said plunger reciprocating means for operating said feeding means.

3. In a machine for filling a mold with granulated material, the combination with a frame, of a mold support shiftably arranged thereon, a mold rigidly attached to said support, a balancing mechanism associated With said support, coacting means upon said mold support and said frame for holding said support and mold in position against the upward action-of said balancing mechanism, a plunger,"ineans for reciprocating said plunger, Whereby said support is gradually lowered by the intermediary of the material filled and packed into the mold thereof, said balancing mechanism predetermming the density of the packed material in the mold, feeding means associated With said support, means actuated by said' plunger reciprocating means for Operating said feeding means, and means for disconnecting said feeding means from its operating mechanism When it has completed the filling of the mold.

4. In a machine for filling a mold with granulated material, the combination with a frame, of a mold support shiftably a-rranged thereon,V a balancing mechanism associated with said support, means for holding said support in suspended position` against the action of said balancing mechanism, a plunger, means for reciprocating said plunger,

e whereby said support is gradually lowered by the intermediary of the material filled and packed into the mold thcrcot', said balancing mechanism predetermining the density of the packed material in thel mold, a hopper adapted to communicate with the mold on said support, a valve for controlling the communication between said hopper and the mold, and means actuated by said plunger reciprocating means for operating said valve. i

5. In a machine for filling a mold with granulated material, the combination With a frame, of a mold support shiftably arranged thereon, a' balancing mechanism associated with said support, means for holding said support in suspended position against the action of said balancing mechanism, a plunger, means for reciprocating said plunger, Whereby said support is gradually lowered by the intermediary of the material vfilled and packed into the mold thereof, said balancmg mechanism predetermining the density of the packed material -molds with granulated material, the combiin the mold, a hopper adapted to communicate with the mold on said support, a valve for controlling the communication between said hopper and the mold, means actuated by said plunger reciprocating means for' operating said valve, and means for disconnecting said valve from its Operating mechanism when the filling of the mold is completed.

6. In a machine for'filling a mold with granulated material, the combination with a frame, of a mold support shiftably arranged thereon, a balancing mechanism associated with said support, means for holding said support 1n suspended position against the action of said balancing mechanism, a plunger, means for reciprocating said plunger, whereby said support is gradually lowered by the intermediary of the material filled and packed into the mold thereof, said balancing mechanism predetermining the density of the packed material in the mold, a hopper adapted to communicate with the mold on said support, a valve for controlling the communication between said hopper and the mold, and means actuated by said plunger reciprocating means for causing said valve to open a communicamolds with granulated material, the combi-'S nation With a stepwise downwardly movable mold, of means for intermittently supplying measured quantities of loose material thereto to form a single article, and a plunger having always the same stroke for compressing each charge individually to the same density.

9. In a machine for filling and paeking nation With a stepwise downwa rdly movable mold, of means for intermittently supplying measured quantities of loose material thereto to form a single article, and a plunger having always the same stroke for compressing each charge to the density of and into integrity with the previously compressed charge.

10. In a machine for filling and packing molds with granulated material, the combination with a stepwise downwardly movable mold, of means for intermittcntly supplying measured quantities of loose material thereto to form a single article, and a plunger having always the same stroke for compressing each charge individually to the density of-and into integrity with the previously compressed charge.

Signcd at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 95th day of February, A. D. 19145.

ALEXANDER BOGDANFFY. EMILIO ALBERTI. Witnesses:

SIGMUND Hnazoo, S. BIRNBAUM. 

